Driver charged with murder after deadly police chase

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By ABC13

HOUSTON

Investigators say the women shoplifted from a store at Deerbrook Mall, then hit the mother's car on the feeder of the Eastex Freeway at Quitman. The mom was killed. Her three children were sent to a hospital.

The three children were initially taken to Ben Taub Hospital. The two youngest have since been transferred to Texas Children's Hospital. Now friends and family are coming to grips with reality.

Meanwhile, Shiquinta Franklin, the suspect who was behind the wheel, is accused of felony murder, evading arrest and several other crimes relating to the end of the chase.

"It's not only a lady they too but they took a mother from the kids and it's very very sad, it makes me sad .. I have a lot of kids and i wouldn't want it to happen to our family because it hurts," neighbor Guadalupe Rodriguez said.

At the home where Franklin lived with her family, her grandmother offered few words.

"The only thing I can say is she's a good person, and my condolences go out to the family, because it could have been her as well as the person that got hurt," the grandmother said.

It all started in Humble, where police say Franklin and two other women allegedly stole thousands of dollars' worth of items from Macy's then took off. Humble police gave chase, which ended tragically.

On Friday, the police department would not comment on their chase policy or whether any rules were violated. But the victim's neighbors are concered.

"They were thieves but all they had to do was get their license plates and then find out where they live and catch them," neighbor Alfredo Rodriguez said.

Three children on their way home from school remain in the hospital. They've lost a mother and a community is devastated.

"God is the one who judges everybody but I hope they could repent," Rodriguez said.

So far, our calls to the Humble Police Department to clarify their chase policy have not been returned.